A

MEDITATION

UPON A

BROOM-STICK.

According to the style and manner of the honourable Robert Boyle's Meditations *.

THIS fingle stick, which you now behold inglorioufly lying in that neglected corner, I once knew in a flourishing state in a forest: it was full of sap, full of leaves, and full of boughs: but now in vain does the busy art of man pretend to vye with nature, by tying that withered bundle of twigs to its faplefs trunk: it is now at beft but the reverse of what it was, a tree turned upfide down, the branches on the earth, and the root in the air; it is now handled by every dirty wench, condemned to do her drudgery, and by a capricious kind of fate, deftined to make other things clean, and be nasty itfelf: at length worn to the ftumps in

* The fword of wit like the scythe of time cuts down friend and foe, and attacks every object that accidentally lies in its

way: but sharp and irrefiftble as the edge of it may be, Mr. Boyle will always remain invulnerable. ORRERY.

Y

4

the

the fervice of the maids, it is either thrown out of doors, or condemned to the last use, of kindling a fire. When I beheld this, Í fighed, and said within myself, Surely mortal Man is a Broom-fick! nature sent him into the world ftrong and lufty, in a thriving condition, wearing his own hair on his head, the proper branches of this reasoning vegetable, until the axe of intemperance has lopped off his green boughs, and left him a withered trunk: he then flies to art, and puts on a perriwig, valuing himself upon an unnatural bundle of hairs, all covered with powder, that never grew on his head; but now fhould this our broom-flick pretend to enter the scene, proud of those birchen spoils it never bore, and all covered with duft, though the sweepings of the finest lady's chamber, we should be apt to ridicule and despise its vanity. Partial judges that we are of our own excellencies, and other men's defaults!

But a broom-flick, perhaps you will fay, is an emblem of a tree ftanding on its head; and pray what is man, but a topfy→ turvey creature, his animal faculties perpetually

petually mounted on his rational, his head where his heels fhould be, groveling on the earth! and yet, with all his faults, he fets up to be an univerfal reformer and corrector of abufes, a remover of grievances, rakes into every flut's corner of nature, bringing hidden corruptions to the light, and raises a mighty duft where there was none before, fharing deeply all the while in the very fame pollutions he pretends to sweep away: his laft days are spent in flavery to women, and generally the leaft deferving; till worn to the ftumps, like his brother befom, he is either kicked out of doors, or made ufe of to kindle. flames for others to warm themselves by.

A PRO

A

PROPOSAL

For correcting, improving, and ascertaining the

ENGLISH TONGUE.

In a letter to the most honourable Robert earl of Oxford and Mortimer, lord high treasurer of GreatBritain.

To the most honourable Robert earl of Oxford, etc.

My Lord,

WHAT I had the honour of mentioning to your lordship some time ago

in converfation, was not a new thought, just then started by accident or occafion, but the refult of long reflection, and I have been confirmed in my fentiments by the opinion of fome very judicious perfons, with whom I confulted. They all agreed, that nothing would be of greater use towards the improvement of knowledge and politenefs, than some effectual method for correcting, enlarging, and afcertaining our language; and they think it a work very poffible to be compaffed under the protection of a prince, the countenance

and encouragement of a miniftry, and the care of proper perfons chofen for fuch an undertaking. I was glad to find your lordfhip's answer in fo different a ftyle, from what hath been commonly made ufe of on the like occafions for fome years past, That all fuch thoughts must be deferred to a time of peace: a topick which fome have carried fo far, that they would not have us by any means think of preferving our civil or religious conftitution, because we are engaged in a war abroad. It will be among the diftinguishing marks of your ministry, my lord, that you have a genius above all fuch regards, and that no reasonable propofal for the honour, the advantage, or the ornament of your country, however foreign to your more immediate office, was ever neglected by you. I confefs the merit of this candour and condefcenfion is very much leffened, becaufe your lordship hardly leaves us room to offer our good wifhes; removing all our difficulties, and fupplying our wants, faster than the moft vifionary projector can adjuft his fchemes. And therefore, my lord, the defign of this paper is not fo

much